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Post by snowwhite on Jun 1, 2019 11:56:55 GMT -5
Junior has been learning a bit of Spanish and is now keen to go to an actual Spanish-speaking place so he can practice, and my mum's given us a bit of money (partly for tax avoidance, but also because she wants to), so we're exploring options, and being put off by how much it seems to get there.
We're limited by school hols, children are aged 4 and 6 (so we need somewhere with playground/pool/beach/similar accessible), I don't really want to camp, but quite happy with the idea of a caravan or similar, and also wouldn't mind French/Spanish border, since French is easier for me and Junior's enthusiasm isn't equalled by a great deal of competence, as far as I can tell (he's good at things like numbers and the days of the week and colours, but don't think he knows, say, food items or how to ask/understand directions).
Ideas? Recommendations? Where to look for places?
(Or give up and book a skiing hol for the Christmas hols now?)
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Post by tucano on Jun 1, 2019 12:14:22 GMT -5
Can you fly into somewhere like Girona (think Ryanair fly there) and find a caravan site nearby?
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Post by snowwhite on Jun 5, 2019 13:53:02 GMT -5
Thanks tucano  I think we've sort of decided that we'd be better off booking for May half-term next year, probably in either Hendaye, or the Spanish town just across the harbour, given there'll be far more choice of accom if we book further ahead, and some of them are real bargains, plus travel should be cheaper booked further ahead, plus not sure how children will cope with very hot weather etc. I sort of like the idea of hiring a car while we're there, so we could easily go to San Sebastian and places, but not sure about practicalities of child seats and hideous stories of car hire rip-offs are a bit off-putting. Just hoping junior's Spanish club continues next (ac) year! |
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Post by tzarine on Jun 12, 2019 7:14:28 GMT -5
we are in san sebastian w tzarevich
who first went there age 3
very kid friendly
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Post by wombatrois on Jun 12, 2019 18:26:10 GMT -5
My favourite place in Spain! I love the promenade, the fishing wharf, the restaurants, the beach ...
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Post by scicaro on Jun 13, 2019 1:23:49 GMT -5
Thanks tucano I think we've sort of decided that we'd be better off booking for May half-term next year, probably in either Hendaye, or the Spanish town just across the harbour, given there'll be far more choice of accom if we book further ahead, and some of them are real bargains, plus travel should be cheaper booked further ahead, plus not sure how children will cope with very hot weather etc. I sort of like the idea of hiring a car while we're there, so we could easily go to San Sebastian and places, but not sure about practicalities of child seats and hideous stories of car hire rip-offs are a bit off-putting. Just hoping junior's Spanish club continues next (ac) year! We managed car hire with added car seats several times, we've had more hassles with rip offs using the super cheap options in the UK than abroad. You can usually take your own car seats with you without paying extra even on the cheap airlines but it is of course a hassle and extra luggage. We have a couple of blow-up boosters that we take these days that are from trunki they're not brilliant but our kids are getting bigger and they're ok - I've seen a lot of families traveling with the trunki backback boosters which I think I would buy instead if I was doing it again. www.trunki.co.uk/collections/boostapak/products/boostapak-greenedited to add - usually the car seat relies on the local office having one so pre-booking doesn't mean they have one available - we've had to wait while they find one a few times. |
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Post by Webs on Jun 14, 2019 13:54:35 GMT -5
Spain has it's own small children. Why are you bringing them more? (bwahahaahaha).
If your children are good traveling then it shouldn't matter where you take them.
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Post by snowwhite on Jun 30, 2019 9:52:49 GMT -5
Wherever we are, they need stuff to do, and space to run around.
Given the current Euro heatwave, I'm actually now quite pleased we're not planning to head into /through it.
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Post by sprite on Jul 1, 2019 5:42:58 GMT -5
we drove from Cambs to southhampton and took the two-night ferry to the place near san sebastian. (hahahaha. useful)
there was a pool on board, and wildlife spotting and other kid activities. booking in advance can give reasonable prices.
we found the cost was comparable to flying and hiring a car for two weeks in Rioja/Navarre, and it was like a mini-cruise, very enjoyable. we ended in San Sebastian and drove back through France with an overnight. (where my french managed to snag us the last twin room in a hotel--there was a massive evangelical conference going on and everything affordable was snapped up.)
bonus: you can load your car up with great wine. We stayed in Haro for a few nights, and that was quite central to a lot of the places we wanted to see (and the wine we wanted to buy), plus the town had two different "1 tapas for 1 euro" nights.
another place we really like is a small town in Malaga province, Teba. we stayed at a Finca at the edge of town, owned by a british couple. it's an easy hour drive from the airport (so, cheap flights), not expensive, self-catering, with a small pool. There is one taberna, and the owner loves Liverpool. he speaks no english, but is very patient with tourists and has an english menu. the town has an old tower up on a hill, nice for exploring. there are good walks ranging from a 10 minute to 45 minute drive away. it's a nice enough town to stroll around picking up food supplies and getting ice cream.
Cordoba, Antequerra, malaga and Sevilla are all easy day trips. for Sevilla, i would recommend driving to one of the suburban rail stations and taking the train in town--driving and parking are a nightmare and the kids would probably go nuts.
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Post by rikita on Jul 4, 2019 19:29:17 GMT -5
we have that one, just the pink version. |
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Post by snowwhite on Jul 8, 2019 8:06:12 GMT -5
we drove from Cambs to southhampton and took the two-night ferry to the place near san sebastian. (hahahaha. useful) there was a pool on board, and wildlife spotting and other kid activities. booking in advance can give reasonable prices. we found the cost was comparable to flying and hiring a car for two weeks in Rioja/Navarre, and it was like a mini-cruise, very enjoyable. we ended in San Sebastian and drove back through France with an overnight. (where my french managed to snag us the last twin room in a hotel--there was a massive evangelical conference going on and everything affordable was snapped up.) bonus: you can load your car up with great wine. We stayed in Haro for a few nights, and that was quite central to a lot of the places we wanted to see (and the wine we wanted to buy), plus the town had two different "1 tapas for 1 euro" nights. another place we really like is a small town in Malaga province, Teba. we stayed at a Finca at the edge of town, owned by a british couple. it's an easy hour drive from the airport (so, cheap flights), not expensive, self-catering, with a small pool. There is one taberna, and the owner loves Liverpool. he speaks no english, but is very patient with tourists and has an english menu. the town has an old tower up on a hill, nice for exploring. there are good walks ranging from a 10 minute to 45 minute drive away. it's a nice enough town to stroll around picking up food supplies and getting ice cream. Cordoba, Antequerra, malaga and Sevilla are all easy day trips. for Sevilla, i would recommend driving to one of the suburban rail stations and taking the train in town--driving and parking are a nightmare and the kids would probably go nuts. Re: loading car with wine (or anything else along those line) and/or driving back through France... I suspect the ease of doing such things may change dramatically over the next 12 months, even if I really hope that change can be averted  |
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Post by sprite on Jul 10, 2019 15:16:33 GMT -5
True, but if it's still a possiblity, go for it. we got some very decent cases at 6 euro/bottle. |
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Post by snowwhite on Jul 13, 2019 15:55:15 GMT -5
And I wonder if you mini-cruised to Bilbao? I think my parents did that one time.
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Post by sprite on Jul 14, 2019 7:58:10 GMT -5
Yes! Bilbao. Really enjoyed it, the Guggenheim was good, we ate bizarre ice cream (squid ink? stilton?), and the city just had a relaxed feel to it. We only stayed a couple of days, and the port is well-situated for just driving directly out of town.
there are a couple of cheap hotels within a five minute drive of the dock, we stayed in one and they were fine with us parking there early in the morning and then checking in during the afternoon.
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Post by tzarine on May 16, 2021 12:06:12 GMT -5
god
i want to go back to san sebastian so badly!
for roberto's mom's cake
the water walk, the hill stroll, born
the pintxos
the funicular & the rollercoaster
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Post by sprite on May 28, 2021 6:00:36 GMT -5
I have a little digital photo frame in my office, and I can't decide if I should update the drive, or if holiday photos will be depressing.
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Post by tzarine on May 28, 2021 20:40:58 GMT -5
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Post by tzarine on May 29, 2021 13:00:58 GMT -5
the amusement park @ monte igueldo was the sight of some scary parenting there's a little train, but wait, it's a rollercoaster. that only has a little chain across the front the man says in spanish "hold him" fuck. he was 3. loved it. i must admit, spectacular views it was way better when he was a teen www.monteigueldo.es/monte-igueldo-attractions/the-boat-pond |
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Post by wombatrois on May 29, 2021 18:34:29 GMT -5
I guess it will be Spain with larger children now (sorry if my humour offends)
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Post by Liiisa on May 29, 2021 20:07:37 GMT -5
I guess it will be Spain with larger children now (sorry if my humour offends) lol i'm sorry too but that's funny |
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Post by Phar Lap on May 30, 2021 3:59:33 GMT -5
Could some kind soul explain to me please the meaning of the previous posts? I’m not offended, it’s not funny, I just don’t get it.
p.S. I’m not usually this slow, but I still don’t get it.
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Post by Liiisa on May 30, 2021 5:57:34 GMT -5
The post is called "Spain with small children," and note that it's from 2019. Unfortunately for various reasons it's 2 years later and poor snow still hasn't managed to get to Spain with the children yet, so it would now really be Spain with Larger Children.
Which I thought was very clever and funny, but we're apologizing for finding it amusing at snow's expense.
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Post by ozziegiraffe on May 30, 2021 7:29:23 GMT -5
That’s what I thought, but then I wondered if I might have missed something. 🥺
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Post by snowwhite on Jun 6, 2021 3:11:37 GMT -5
I guess it will be Spain with larger children now (sorry if my humour offends) Ha! No, I think it's funny too -also looking back at the blithe assumption that the size of the children was all that would change. |
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